Adventure, December 1914 — page 52: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

50 of lightning. The rest of us shrank back in momentary fear at the apparently gigantic forces of nature which seemed let loose in the room. “Don’t be afraid,’ called Kennedy. “T’ve seen all this before. It won’t hurt you. It’s an application of a high-frequency current.” Whatever it was I could not overcome the awe which it inspired in me. I won- dered how the arch-fiend had restrained himself from turning the deadly power on us. Kennedy continued to experiment gin- gerly with the apparatus, and finally shut it off. ‘“‘That’s all very well,” persisted Sinclair, who had been watching carefully, “but I don’t understand it yet.” “Don’t you see?” urged Kennedy, look- ing at the machine with an air of great ad- miration. ‘‘What this fellow has really done is to use a high-frequency current—to ap- propriate simply the invention of Nikola Tesla.” We were trying to follow him, and Sin- clair nodded acquiescence, comprehending only vaguely. “What is it based upon?” he asked at length. ‘““Tesla’s theory,” explained Kennedy, con- tinuing to explore the dormer-window room, “is that under certain conditions the atmos- phere, which is normally a high insulator, assumes cunducting properties and so be- comes capable of conveying any amount of electrical energy. “IT myself have seen electrical oscillations such as those which you saw just now of such intensity that while they could be cir- culated with impunity through one’s arms and chest, they could be made to melt wires farther along in the circuit.. Yet the per- son through whoin such a current was pass- ing at the time actually felt no inconve- nience.” Kennedy was holding us spellbound by this new wonder of science as he elaborated 1, ‘‘T have seen a loop of heavy copper wire,”’ he continued, ‘‘energized by such oscilla- tions and a mass of metal within the loop heated to the fusing point, and yet into the space in which this destructive aerial tur- moil was going on I have seen men thrust their hands and even their heads without feeling anything or experiencing any injuri- Adventure ous after effect. In this form all the energy of all the dynamos at Niagara could pass through one’s body and yet produce no in- jury. But, diabolically directed, this vast energy has been used to melt the wires in the little dynamo that runs the gyroscope of the aeroplane. That was the cause of the disaster.” We stood amazed at the ingenuity of it and not a little in awe of the hand and brain that could conceive and wield such an engine of destruction so certainly for their own ends. ‘“‘Whom do you suppose could have oper- ated it all?” I asked. “Operated it all?’ he repeated. “As a matter of fact, they seem to me to be en- tirely distinct systems, although the oper- ator of this system of projecting wireless- power must have used at least a part of the outside apparatus of the wireless wire- tapper for the transmission of his destruct- ive current.”’ Just then we heard the tread of feet down- stairs and a voice called up— “Mr. Sinclair!” “Yes,” answered the inventor. “We've got a report,” called back the voice. “It’s the operator at the Seaville House,”’ explained Sinclair, leaving the room hur- riedly, followed by Kennedy and the rest of us. ‘What is the report?” he inquired. ‘The car has been seen along the Sound road—they are evidently heading for the city.” “Ts there no way to intercept them?” in- quired Kennedy. “I’m afraid not,’ answered Sinclair slow- ly. ‘You see, it is so late that we can’t possibly get any of the constables in the towns, and as for the city, there are scores of routes they can take to enter it, if indeed they attempt it by means of the car at all. No, I’m afraid that is hopeless, now.”’ Kennedy had taken a last look about the cottage. They had evidently prepared for flight and everything else that could be ta- ken or destroyed had been removed. ‘“We’re wasting time here, then,”’ he con- cluded. ‘‘The best we can do is to follow them to the city and search for them there.’’ _ “There aren’t any trains,” put in the op- erator. “T know it,’ returned Kennedy. “TIT wasn’t thinking of trains. We'll have to Gomiicovook C©